Treat All Metals, Inc. had ergonomic and safety concerns when handling its gears.

The company is contracted by large parts manufacturers to heat and press the parts, and then quench the parts with oil. The parts (large gears primarily) were being handled by a fork tool extended from a hoist hung on an overhead trolley system. This made handling the gears awkward and dangerous, and required extensive push/pull forces to move them around. Potential injuries were always a concern.

In the process, gears are moved from a furnace to a quench press in the horizontal position. The gears weigh 150 to 1,500 pounds, have a 13- to 45-inch outside diameter and are 2 to 8 inches thick. The elevation of the gears during transfer is 30 to 60 inches above the floor. Using the previous handling method to reach up to three feet into the furnace, which runs at 1,550°F, posed a real threat to worker safety, says Claude Luppi, administrator operations manager.

In addition, "Time is of the essence when transporting the gears to a press—they need to remain hot so that the metal is still malleable," he adds.

A hydraulic powered vertical lift (Positech, 800-831-6026) has not only made the process safer, but throughput has remained high. The new lift offers over 22,000 pounds of lifting capacity and nearly a 360-degree turning radius.

To ease handling strain, all lift movements are powered by AC cells. A laser alignment device ensures proper placement of the gear. Just as important, the operator is kept at a safe distance from the oven and part while handling the gear.

Luppi is pleased with the solution. "Our operators have a lot to juggle when handling the gears, so the lift cuts down on potential incidents."